


The Cat and the Lost City

by idigam



Series: Beyond the West the Sea [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender, Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alchemist!Pidge, Bard!Lance, Gen, Keith's heritage is still a suprise, Nope I did not get this out of my godsdamned system, Witcher AU, Witcher!Shiro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 23:59:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16315175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idigam/pseuds/idigam
Summary: "Beyond the east the sunrise, beyond the west the sea. Beyond the east and west the wander thirst that will not let me be."-Gerald Gould





	The Cat and the Lost City

The hilltop monastery of Gal Garron is a fortress, built into the side of a mountain in the middle of an untamed wilderness. The path up to it is long and winding, steep, and hidden, far from any main roads, and even those main roads are largely untraveled due the dangerous nature of the wilds for miles around. Bandits, wolves, and a river plagued by drowners and hags, all make the region inhospitable. Add wyverns to the list of dangerous beasts in the higher parts and it’s easy to see why most assume the monastery fortress is abandoned. Also why it’s such a surprise to find a party of only six riders making their way up the sheer path to the fortress.

 

What few realize is that a functioning community makes the well-fortified and hidden sanctuary their home. A small group of Witchers from the cat school that fled to the far north during the purge of their order. The agents struck a deal with the undisputed lord of the realm. Emperor Zarkon lord of the Galra Empire and its vassal states, a man whose power and cunning is matched only by his ruthlessness. Years ago the grandmaster of their order followed rumors that a powerful sorceress still possessed knowledge of the trial of the grasses. That she held the original formula to produce new witchers. Haggar, the witch vizier to the Galra Empire’s ruler, and the center of these rumors asked only one thing from the grandmaster and his young students, loyalty. They swore fealty to the crown and they were given lands and more importantly, the means to perpetuate their school.

 

Swords clash in the courtyard of the fortress as two recruits attempt to land a blow on the senior instructing them. The man is patient with a tall broad build he defends and only retaliates when one of the recruits leaves themselves too obviously open to a counter. His hair snow white but the eyes are the golden hue with slit pupils that marks him a member of the witcher order, his medallion proclaiming his allegiance to the cat school. “Watch yourself James that last blow was sloppy,” he chides, luckily for the recruit in question his partner deflects Shiro’s counter. The senior witcher smiles at the display of teamwork when the archivist arrives.

 

The only person in the monastery that is not of the witcher lifestyle Adam is a schooled academic and mage, though only a true fool would presume that meant his sword arm was weak. His staff is a deceptively light weight halberd designed to channel magic through the metal usually in the form of an enchantment that sucks the warmth from any target struck. Such enchantments are unique to the far north it being the only place in all his travels that Shiro has encountered it. Though the Empire has apparently decided to start trading the use of runewords. “We have visitors. Haggar has come with a missive from the Emperor. Grandmaster Iverson has ordered that you and I attend. You two,” Adam directs his gaze to the recruits fresh from their trials and still adjusting to their eyes, “your physical training is done for today.” The two are about to whoop with enthusiasm when Adam continues, “I expect a full dissertation on the weaknesses of frost wights and how to spot a huldra since you now have some free time.” The cries of joy die into groans at the news. Kinkade the archery instructor smirks as he shepherds the two towards the library.

 

“You’re not making yourself any friends Adam,” Shiro says moving over to the mage and kissing him once on the cheek. Adam waves him off, “they won’t thank me sure but they’ll live and that’s the important part.” Shiro’s fond smile goes unseen by his boyfriend who has already decided to stalk off towards the entrance hall to the monastery.

****

 

“High priestess to what do we owe this visit?” Grandmaster Iverson’s tone is respectful but not warm as he greets their honored guest. Haggar, the witch who serves as Emperor Zarkon’s vizier and majordomo, alongside her is one of her druids of hierophant rank displayed in the robes and mask. With the mages is a group of soldiers, master archer and warmaster of the empire Sendak and his sentry retinue. Their whalebone bows strapped to their backs, seemingly bound but anyone familiar with the sentries of Zarkon’s forces would know the trick bindings can release at a moment’s notice.

 

Iverson is flanked by Shiro and Adam, there’s a tension to them. The empire was necessary for the Cat’s continued survival, that didn’t mean anyone trusted being so bound to a kingdom, kingdoms reject witchers, and kingdoms almost destroyed them. “The Empire requires your services,” Haggar’s dry tone echoes through the keep, displaying power despite how quiet it is. Iverson nods, “any idea what beast is plaguing you?”

 

Haggar almost seems to stiffen beneath her robes, though Shiro notes, it could just be him projecting the tension of the meeting. “Not a beast,” she says and Shiro finds himself tensing, something Adam clearly notices because he shoots Shiro a small smile. Everyone knows what this means, being bound to kingdom also means that monsters aren’t their only prey. Usually its criminals and bandits, sometimes the target is less clear cut. Iverson is unphased having taken these sorts of contracts many times himself just nods, “who’s the target.”

 

“A mage, accompanied by a witcher himself, they’ve fled across the Great Sea.” Iverson’s eyes narrow at the witch’s words. “No name?” This feels too much like a mission given to dispose of witchers once they’ve become troublesome. “You will know him when you see him, whoever you send. I would recommend a senior member, those I attended over the winter would be little more than chattel to this opponent. Of course you could refuse the contract, his lordship would not only be required to give the reward to another but rethink your place in these lands.”

 

“Make no mistake Haggar,” the heirophant beside her readies himself but the grandmaster continues undaunted, “we will be taking the contract. If this foe is as dangerous as you suggest then we must carefully decide who to send on this errand.” Haggar holds up a hand and the heirophant relaxes, “of course grandmaster. I will leave you to it then.”

 

“You are welcome to stay the evening high priestess, and of course, give your view on the mission.” Haggar nods and signals to the sentries to unpack while she and her minion leave for the guest rooms. “Call me when you decide to deliberate over this nuisance.”

****

 

Three hours later the senior staff of the keep are convening, talking about the unsaid aspects of the mission while they wait for Haggar to arrive. “Enemy of the state that much is certain. Well connected if he’s managed to hire out a witcher to protect him. They probably don’t want us getting ideas about using him to blackmail the throne.” Shiro sighs audibly and Kinkade shoots him a sympathetic look, members of their school having become somewhat infamous thanks to those among them with too flexible morality. True they have the reputation for getting the job done. A reputation that earned them a place in the empire, but also that reputation is part of what saw them driven from their original keep. “We could always see if the rumors of Kaer Morhen being rebuilt have any foundation to them,” Adam’s voice breaks the tense atmosphere.

 

“Too risky right now, until summer sets in the passes will be all but impossible to traverse. I was hoping to send at least one recruit with you and Kinkade to verify the rumors when the roads through the Dragon Mountains are open again.” Iverson frowns, “that will have to be reworked with this new assignment. We’ll need to drum up funding first and foremost this will be a long journey for whoever we send. Any leads on bounties?”

 

Adam lays out several missives, “small fare mostly, archespores in the fields of the lowlands, a drowner problem to the south, and rumors of a griffon making it’s nest to the northeast. Though if that turns out to be false it wont pay anything, the villages wont pay for a contract unless the head is brought back.” Everyone’s expression sours, none of these would begin to fund the expedition, until a familiar voice speaks up, “I hear that Janka has a curse problem that he’s willing to pay handsomely for.” Sendak arrives with Haggar following behind him, she frowns deeply at Sendak’s words. “That foolish noble did it to himself. He should have known that such a bargain was too good to be genuine.”

 

She moves to the center of the room to examine the contracts, “he should be left to reap his own rewards. Though it would go a long way to starting this journey,” her gaze remains impassive. “I presume this means that the empire wont be forking over any gold to aid in this endeavor? To say nothing of providing a route to the New Lands?” Adam’s voice is glacial, having voiced his disapproval of the mission itself. If she notices Haggar does not care, “the empire and his lordship cannot be connected to this for political reasons. What can be given will be provided but no substantive reward will be given until the matter is dealt with.” Adam rolls his eyes but mercifully doesn’t comment. Shiro puts a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Have you decided on who will go yet?” Sendak asks looking over the expense sheets and contracts. “Not yet, let’s decide how we can afford the trip before getting into a guessing game on who’s going.” Shiro’s words are meant to placate Haggar and Sendak but he already knows who’ll be going. Kinkade is still fairly junior and he’s the only archery instructor in the keep. Iverson is their grandmaster and thus needed to act as administrator further as a competent swordsman he can take up Shiro’s teaching duties. That’s all the senior witchers, which leaves Shiro as the most able bodied to go. That will be an argument, Adam has made his objections to the mission very clear, with Shiro as the most obvious choice of who should go there’s no way that conversation will end well. Unconsciously Shiro tightens his grip and pulls Adam closer. The mage relaxes into Shiro slightly. Haggar stares impassively for a moment, Kinkade turns to her, “this witcher accompanying our fugitive. Any information you can give us about them?”

 

Haggar turns her gaze on him, “very little, female which means she’s probably a member of your school, though I have heard rumor that she’s griffon.” Iverson scoffs, “unlikely, those fools are too hung up on their codes of conduct to take the help they need.” Haggar snaps her fingers and Sendak provides a piece of vellum, “what we do know is he has built a small coalition around himself, likely planning this for years. In addition to the witcher we know there are three others, the only one we have any real information on is a Zerrikanian warrior.” Iverson’s eyebrows climb, “in addition to a witcher? Just who is this criminal?”

 

Haggar merely levels a look at him and drops the vellum on the table, “this is the relevant information. I suggest you come up with your decision soon, send a carrier hawk when you do.” With that she turns to leave, Sendak looks back at the assembled troupe, “Great now she’s going to be like that until we reach the capital,” he offers an ironic smile, “good luck witchers.”

 

Shiro takes a deep calming breath and prepares to discuss the logistics of this new assignment. Namely the who’s best option to send on it.

****

It went about as well as expected, which is a comfort about as cold as Shiro’s bed, Adam deciding to return to his own room. For the first time in months. And lock the door. Shiro is left trying to fall asleep, trying being the operative word. Sighing in resignation Shiro rolls out of bed and over to his writing desk to try and review the information they have. Including the contract from imperial quartermaster and duke Janka. Bog standard with a less than standard back story, rich man has a fondness for antiques, turns out one’s cursed and causing problems. In this case, wraiths, a small army of them rising at night, which is concerning considering that speaks to a very bloody history indeed.

 

Following this concern he followed the information on Janka that could be provided by Sendak, who is surprisingly talkative when drunk. Luckily for Shiro, it takes a lot to get a witcher drunk, unluckily, Sendak is still very unpleasant to be around when drunk. Finally able to turn the conversation back to Janka after the fifth tangent on the freakish mutants that are witchers. Blah blah, only good for killing and warming the beds of slatterns and stealing the innocence of maidens. Some of the comments, particularly those about slatterns and the beds of witchers ensure Shiro has to down the rest of his ale to keep from asking if Sendak is jealous or asking for a demonstration.

 

Janka it turns out was not born into the nobility but obtained the duke title from marriage, a lucrative marriage for his in-laws. Janka himself is a miser who made a quick fortune and then through cunning and shrewd investment managed to secure the position of quartermaster for the empire and wealth matched only by the royal family. Shiro considers that his humble origins and shockingly fast acquisition of wealth seems to coincide the purchase of a mine previously thought dry. He also considers Haggar’s ominous comment.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't ask me why this AU exists but now it does. Also does not have a defined plan like my other stories so be warned updates will be laughably unplanned. Also that intro quote is legit my favorite quote of all time.


End file.
